A little information on the Health Services Union (HSU) since it¬Ļs all over¬†the news in Australia.

Let’s look at the cast of characters involved in the HSU:

Craig Thomson – New Zealand born former HSU National Secretary now ALP¬†Member for Dobell – 181 irregularities in the FWA report (yet to be¬†published) most of which will refer to Thompson’s misconduct.¬†Julia Gillard maintains she “still has confidence in him”!

Zoe Arnold – married to Craig Thomson (walked out on his first wife and¬†kids to marry her), former press secretary to Reba Meagher, controversial ex-NSW ALP Health Minister

And of course, the HSU members themselves – expected to pay up their dues¬†to support the above plus Thomson and his mates raunchy exploits.

Does anyone really need to ask what’s wrong with the union movement and the¬†ALP?

It appears that this scenario is repeated in one form or¬†another in most unions, most state ALP offices and of course, the national¬†ALP, ¬†which is currently¬†the government in Australia thanks to their cosy¬†factions and backroom deals with the faceless men.

It’s the same system that coughs up people like Thomson, Swan, Albanese,¬†Shorten, Emerson, Combet, Gillard and all the others who have slid into safe¬†ALP seats using union members as a tool to their progress, and not having¬†any other credentials for office other than being a union boss.

The poor old union members have no idea what happens to their union dues nor¬†have they any say in it. The elites in the union leadership (few who have¬†risen up through the rank and file), as the price for securing their own¬†pre-selection when their time comes, ensure that vast amounts of union funds¬†are channelled to the ALP and its election campaigns.

One can only hope that as a result of the current publicity, union members¬†might start to wake up to the thieving and rorting which has been going on¬†for years, and the huge amount of money their union leaders syphon off to¬†finance their personal ambitions (and sleaze and of course) as well as the¬†ALP.

The worry is that the more I look into union finances the more I see parallels here in New Zealand.